1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a program. More specifically, the present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a program which allow efficient input of audio data to a processor and efficient output of audio data from a processor using a video port.
2. Description of the Related Art
Video Interfaces
One-way transmission schemes with which timing signals, such as clocks, horizontal synchronization signals, and vertical Synchronization signals, and image data are transmitted are called “video interfaces”. Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) 125M and SMPTE 274M are typical examples of video interfaces.
Other examples of video interfaces include schemes in which data enable signals are added, such as Digital Video Interactive (DVI)/Video Electronics Standard Association (VESA), schemes in which video data is serialized, such as High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI), and schemes in which timing information is further multiplexed into a data line, such as SMPTE 259M and SMPTE 292M.
Hereinafter, a signal set transmitted via a video interface is referred to as a “video signal”, and a set of input pins and output pins of a video interface is referred to as a “video port”, as appropriate.
Video Port Bandwidth
Video ports provide wide bandwidth and effective speed with stability. For example, a 24-bit HD (1920×1080 at 30 frames per second (fps)) video port ensures stable data transfer with a rate of 1920×1080×30 pixels per second=186 megabytes per second (MB/s).
The recent rapid increase of video port bandwidth is due to the improvement of display resolution, switching of broadcast quality from standard definition (SD) (720×480) to high definition (HD) (1920×1080), diversity of the display performance of displays (480i/480p/1080i/720p/1080p), and other reasons. In the present situation, the HD (1920×1080 at 30 fps) and wide ultra extended graphics array (WUXGA) (1920×1200 at 60 fps) bandwidths have become generally available.
Multi-Channel Video and Audio
Recent audio visual devices can handle multiple video/audio signals.
For example, home digital recorders can handle data of the output system, which includes:
Output of video without a menu or guide (video output)
Output of video with a menu or guide (monitor output)
Output of video obtained by decoding a bit stream from an antenna (decoder output)
Further, there is a demand for professional devices for use in processing of video, in many cases, capable of handling and also outputting data of the output system, which includes:
Output of standard video (program output, video output)
Output of superimposed video (monitor output)
Video of a scene several seconds ago (preview output)
Screens to be displayed on external displays
Display on device displays
In particular, data handled in professional devices for use in processing of video may contain data of various display sizes, various frame frequencies (refresh rates), such as SD/HD, 4:2:2/4:4:4, RGB/YCbCr, interlaced or progressive.
There is also a demand for an input system capable of simultaneously inputting multiple video streams to a processor, such as simultaneously inputting and simultaneously recording asynchronous video signals in different formats, switching the video signals while simultaneously inputting them, or processing or modifying the video signals and combining resulting signals when switching them. The number of channels of audio attached to video has also significantly increased, such as 5.1 ch, 7.1 ch, 9.1 ch, and multiple languages across multiple channels.
Accordingly, it is requested that a processor of an audio visual device be capable of simultaneously inputting or outputting a plurality of video streams and a plurality of audio streams.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publications No. 2006-236056 and No. 2009-71701 are examples of related art.